Lindsey Vonn crashed during the women's downhill at the Winter Olympics in Cortina, ending her hopes for a medal. The 41-year-old competed just nine days after rupturing ligaments in her left knee. She hit a gate on her first jump and lost balance. Vonn was airlifted off the piste after being treated for a long time. American Breezy Johnson won the gold medal with a fast time of 1 minute 36.10 seconds. Johnson was emotional and seen with tears after securing the win. Germany's Emma Aicher finished second, just 0.04 seconds behind, earning silver. Italian favorite Sofia Goggia took bronze. Vonn had 12 World Cup wins on this course and aimed to compete in other events, but this crash likely ends her Olympic career. She had returned to skiing in 2024 after a partial knee replacement and had performed well before the Olympics. Vonn had warned about the risks but was determined to race. She stated, "My ACL is 100% torn," showing strong defiance. British Olympian Chemmy Alcott called the crash "brutal" and pointed out the harsh conditions at the top of the piste. The crash also affected the race conditions for others. Andorra's Cande Moreno was also airlifted after a crash during the event. The Winter Olympics will continue in Milan and Cortina until February 22, 2026.